-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Five exotic animals once owned by a Zanesville , Ohio , man who let loose dozens of animals last year before committing suicide will be returned to the man 's widow Friday , the Ohio Department of Agriculture said .

Two spotted leopards , two Macaque monkeys and a brown bear will be returned to Marian Thompson , widow of farmer Terry Thompson . He set off a wide scare in October when he released 50 potentially dangerous animals from his farm before shooting himself .

Of the 50 animals Thompson released , 48 were killed by law enforcement , while two primates were killed by the other animals , zoo officials said .

Last fall in Ohio : Wild animals on the loose

The five animals being returned to Marian Thompson were never released from their cages by her late husband . A sixth unreleased animal , a leopard , died in January at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium , where all of Thompson 's remaining animals had been housed for safekeeping since the incident .

A state review board concluded Monday that the animals are free of `` dangerously infectious or contagious diseases . '' The finding required officials to lift a quarantine imposed in a move in October to delay their return .

State officials said they were concerned that Marian Thompson has said she would put the five remaining animals into the same cages they previously inhabited on her Zanesville farm .

`` This raises concerns , as she has indicated the cages have not been repaired , and has repeatedly refused to allow animal welfare experts to evaluate if conditions are safe for the animals and sufficient to prevent them from escaping and endangering the community , '' said Erica Pitchford , a spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Agriculture .

State officials have no legal power to inspect the cages before the animals are returned , but they are hoping the local sheriff will seek a court order to inspect the farm `` to ensure the safety of the animals and the public , '' Pitchford said .

Thompson had not allowed local law enforcement onto the farm to check the pens , Muskingum County Sheriff Matthew Lutz told CNN Monday .

Thompson 's lawyer did not immediately respond to a CNN call for comment .

Deputies are ready to deal with any problems with the returned animals , Lutz said .

`` We have the zoo on speed dial , '' Lutz said . `` If we are pushed to do what we had to do the last time , we would take care of it . ''

Legislation that would tighten rules regarding private ownership of exotic animals passed the Ohio Senate in April and is now being heard in the House of Representatives . `` Zoo officials encourage lawmakers to pass a bill quickly to ensure public safety and protect the welfare of animals , '' the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium said in a news release .

Terry Thompson died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on October 18 shortly after he pried open cages and opened the farm 's fences that held his private menagerie of lions , tigers , bears , wolves and monkeys .

Authorities , who did not have access to tranquilizer guns , killed two wolves , six black bears , two grizzly bears , nine male lions , eight female lions , three mountain lions and 18 Bengal tigers .

Thompson 's property is about two miles outside Zanesville , which is east of Columbus along Interstate 70 . The 62-year-old had been released from a federal prison three weeks earlier after pleading guilty earlier to possessing illegal firearms , including five fully automatic firearms .

CNN 's John Fricke and Chuck Johnston contributed to this report .

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Two spotted leopards , two Macaque monkeys and a brown bear will be returned to widow

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Terry Thompson set off scare when he released 50 wild animals from his farm

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After releasing tigers , lions and other animals , the Ohio farmer shot himself

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State officials have no legal power to inspect cages where the five animals will be kept